8 July 2009

Jombang -- Thousands of workers have declared their opposition to participatingin the July 8 presidential elections. The agreement emerged out of a mass meeting and consolidation by hundreds of trade union representatives held today at the Youth Social Development Building in Jombang, East Java.

One of the trade unions that declared its opposition to the presidentialelections was the Independent Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-Independen). East Java FNPBI-Independent coordinator Afik Irwanto said that the failure of the world capitalist economic system has left Indonesia in crisis.

One of the flow-on effects of this is the destruction of the real sector andnational productivity. As a result many companies have closed down and this has brought about a wave of mass dismissals.

Judi Prasetyo, Jombang -- Workers from the Independent Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-Independen) have agreed to boycott the coming July 8 presidential elections by not using their right to vote or to golput. The agreement was kindled during a mass meeting held in the auditorium of the Youth Social Development Building in Jombang, East Java, on Sunday July 5.

The workers were doubtful because the presidential and vice presidential candidates that have emerged have already failed workers in holding the reigns of leadership. “All of them are [members of] the political elite who were once in government and all of them have failed fight for workers”, asserted East Java FNPBI-Independent coordinator Afik Irwanto.

During the meeting -- which was also attended by a number of other Jombang trade unions -- FNPBI-Independent warned workers not to be easily deceived or be put to sleep by the presidential candidates’ promises.

Bandar Lampung -- The Lampung province I regional leadership board (DPD) of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) is calling on its members to block presidential and vice presidential candidates that are pro-neoliberalism. They are also inviting the people to build a national coalition government for national self-sufficiency.

This was conveyed by Papernas Lampung DPD chairperson Rakhmat Husein D.C. in a press release in the provincial capital of Bandar Lampung, South Sumatra, on Saturday June 8.

According to Husein, the three presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2009 presidential elections have now been finalised, namely Megawati Sukarnoputri-Prabowo Subianto (Mega-Pro), Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Boediono (SBY-Boediono) and Jusuf Kalla-Wiranto (JK-Win).

5 July 2009

The following is the translation of the introduction and a section from an op-ed piece written by PRD/Papernas leader Rudi Hartono published on the Papernas website Berdikari on May 15 titled “The fuss about human rights in May” (Hingar Bingar Isu HAM Di Bulan Mei). Written prior to their official registration as candidates for the July 8 presidential elections, it is a good example of the “critical support” the PRD/Papernas is giving to the Jusuf Kalla-Wiranto and Megawati Sukarnoputri-Prabowo Subianto presidential tickets under the guise of attacking the neoliberal policies of incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate former Central Bank governor Boediono. It stands in stark contrast to the campaigns being waged against Prabowo and Wiranto by human rights activists in Indonesia and a recent statement included below by the US based East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and the highly respected Indonesian human rights group the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras). The full text of the Indonesian language version of Hartono’s article can be found at: papernas.org.

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The fuss about human rights in May

By Rudi Hartono

Jakarta -- In the lead up to the 2009 presidential elections, several former senior ranking military officers have embellished the electoral arena. They can be mentioned here: Prabowo Subianto who is still endevouring to find a way to become a candidate, Wiranto who has declared himself as a candidates together with JK [Vice President and Golkar Party chairperson Jusuf Kalla], and SBY [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] who has the greatest chance [of election]. But the last one here is very rarely referred to as the personification of a human rights violating general. Who knows if it is because he has just been missed out or whether it is intentional.

I am not a supporter of senior military officers or the New Order [regime of the late President Suharto], in fact I oppose them. But, the matter that needs to be discussed here is whether or not these military officers represent the most reactionary enemies of democracy and the people. This issue needs to be debated again, moreover because as the presidential elections draw near it may be used to roll out issues in order to benefit one of the camps, the SBY camp, while eliminating the other camps, the camps of the human rights violating generals.

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The honor and respect afforded to star West Papuan athletes playing in Indonesian colours at this year's SEA Games stands in stark contrast to the economic marginalization, discrimination and poverty Papuans face in their own land – home to the giant Freeport gold and copper mine – which saw profits double to $1.4 billion in the 2nd quarter of 2011 alone but contributes a measly 1% of its revenue to local communities whose environment and livelihoods are being decimated by the mine's operations. Kompas - November 16, 2011